Release Detail

March 29, 2012 - Nelson Opens 8-Point Lead Over Mack In Florida,
Quinnipiac University Poll Finds;
Women Are Key To Democrat's Lead

Word format
Breaking out of a dead heat in Florida, Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson opens a
44 - 36 percent lead over U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the Republican challenger, according to a
Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Today's results compare to a tie with Nelson at 41 percent and Mack at 40 percent in a
January 11 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.

"President Barack Obama's surge in Florida is helping Sen. Bill Nelson's re-election
chances," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Just as President Obama's lead in the presidential race in the Sunshine State is fueled by female
voters, so too is Nelson's. He also is running better among several groups, including whites and
Catholics and voters 50 to 64 years old."

From March 20 - 26, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,228 registered voters with a
margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia
and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or
follow us on Twitter.

8a. If the election for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates
were Bill Nelson the Democrat and Connie Mack the Republican, for whom would you vote?

TREND: If the election for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates
were Bill Nelson the Democrat and Connie Mack the Republican, for whom would you vote?
(2011 wording referenced "2012 election")